Making headlines: Khoza pays the price for criticism of Zuma, Gigaba sidesteps questions about Nene’s non-appointment to BRICS Bank And, ANC KZN factions promise to respect court decision

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Khoza pays the price for criticism of Zuma

Dissident ANC MP Dr Makhosi Khoza paid the price for her outspoken criticism of President Jacob Zuma when she was fired as the chairperson of the portfolio committee on public service and administration yesterday.

ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu said he received a directive from the ANC to "relieve" Khoza from her position as chairperson of the committee "owing to the irretrievable breakdown of relations between herself and ANC members of the committee".

Khoza said it was time for the country to move past the ruling party, barely an hour after she was removed as chairperson of the portfolio committee on public administration.

Gigaba sidesteps questions about Nene’s non-appointment to BRICS Bank

Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba yesterday distanced himself from the controversy surrounding the non-appointment of his predecessor, Nhlanhla Nene, to the New Development Bank, almost two years after the post was promised him.

The current acting head of the African Regional Centre of the New Development Bank is Tumisang Moleke, the director of the Public Private Partnership Unit at National Treasury.

President Jacob Zuma hastily recalled Nene as finance minister in December 2015, saying his name had been put forward to head the African Regional Centre of the New Development Bank, a move that sent the rand on a nosedive.

ANC KZN factions promise to respect court decision

KwaZulu-Natal divisions in the ANC were laid bare over the past two days in the Pietermaritzburg High Court in a case involving two ANC factions.

While, provincial ANC chairperson, Sihle Zikalala, and Thulani Nyawose, the leader of the group challenging the legitimacy of the Provincial Executive Committee emphasised unity and reconciliation outside court, it was clear that the court case had become a platform to show support for the two front runners for the ANC presidential post.

Nyawose insisted that the court case was about justice and fairness to party members.

Also making headlines:
The opposition parties say removal of outspoken ANC MP Dr Makhosi Khoza as chairperson of the portfolio committee on public service and administration is an indication of how the ANC’s factional battles are hampering the work of Parliament.

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That’s a roundup of news making headlines today